Converting .VOB Files Back to .AVI

[Kov-Ice]

In my lack of knowledge, I backed up all of my movie projects as DVD files on HDD. It seemed the thing to do, as space-wise it was what worked for me. I used Adobe Encore to Make DVD Folder. I figured once I had the files in the folder, I could burn that particular movie to a disc any time in the future.

The problem is now I need to use a segment of something I've made in the past. I'd like to re-edit a portion of one of those old movies. The only software solution I've come across is to use a program called VOB2MPEG, but the problem is that it requires the .NET framework to work. I've not heard good things about using .NET framework.

1. Is this my only real option, or is there another way around getting editable video from the DVD folder?

2. What's a better strategy for backing up video files?

[RJ]

Hi,

I'm not entirely sure what you want. The title says you wanna convert .VOB to .AVI, but later you mention VOB2MPEG, which I'm not sure if it also converts to AVI. Going by the name I'd say it can't.

But if all you want is some cutting, you don't need to convert to AVI file. The video inside the VOB is MPEG, so you can just put it into an MPEG container, or just use the elementary streams to cut.

With VOBEdit or DVD Decrypter you can demultiplex a VOB. If it contains different videos, you can pick the one that you want demuxed. As a result, you get elementary streams.

A good cutting software is Cuttermaran. But it requires the .NET framework as well. I myself have never had a problem with it, but if you don't like to install the .NET framework, you could try MPEG2Schnitt. It's similar to cuttermaran, but I don't know if there is an english translation for it.
MPEG2Schnitt can't cut framewise, though.

2. What's a better strategy for backing up video files?

If you have the space, it's best to keep the original AVI files.

RJ

[Kov-Ice]

Hey, RJ. Sorry for the confusion. I typically edit .AVI in Premiere Pro. I guess I was just searching for the easiest way to get back to where I began (though not really necessary, eh).

Also, I'm not clear on some of the terms. Demultiplex or Demux is pulling files from the VOB? Elementary Streams refers to the MPEG and audio files within the VOB?

I have Decrypter, but it seems to only pull files from a DVD disc. Can it do the same from a source file on a HDD?

[RJ]

Hey, RJ. Sorry for the confusion. I typically edit .AVI in Premiere Pro. I guess I was just searching for the easiest way to get back to where I began (though not really necessary, eh).

I see. I believe Premiere Pro doesn't handle MPEG streams well, though. But ok, you'd have to try that. For just cutting I'd use Cuttermaran or MPEG2Schnitt, they are both freeware and do their job good.
If you wanna applying filters and stuff, then you can do it with Premiere Pro. Just use MPEG. You can't convert it "back" to the AVI it once was, anyway.

Also, I'm not clear on some of the terms. Demultiplex or Demux is pulling files from the VOB? Elementary Streams refers to the MPEG and audio files within the VOB?

Demultiplexing (demuxing) means to extract the single streams out of the VOB files. You know, the VOB includes everything. . video, audio, subtitles. .etc. When you demux, you'll get the elementary streams, which are all streams separated, each stream in its own file. That would commonly be an .m2v file for the Video, and .ac3 for the audio. If you have multiple video or audio streams, each one will be in a different file.
Joining these files back to one single file that contains everything. . like a .vob or .mpg, is called multiplexing (muxing), and the resulting stream is called a program stream.

Cuttermaran and MPEG2Schnitt only accept elementary streams. BTW, I checked, MPEG2Schnitt does have an english Interface as well.

I have Decrypter, but it seems to only pull files from a DVD disc. Can it do the same from a source file on a HDD?

Right. . you were saying that you had them on HD. . . I forgot (I happen to mention Decrypter automatically when it comes to extraction of videos from a VOB. . lol ). Actually, the only way to use Decrypter, then, is to create an Image and load it into an emulator, then you can use Decrypter.
VOBEdit can do it with the files.

RJ

[Kov-Ice]

Yikes. Ya, I've noticed Premiere Pro seems to play back MPEGs very choppy when I import them. I wonder why that is? Shouldn't an expensive piece of software like that handle whatever is thrown at it? Not cool...

So VOBEdit is the way to go to pull MPEG and AC3 from the VOBs, and then I just have to hope Premiere Pro accepts them, I guess. Will I need to convert the audio for Premiere to recognize it, too?

Basically, I messed up by storing everything in the DVD format, then. I just didn't have the space for all the wedding and highlight vids I was starting to pile up. Even just keeping the final cut converted to an AVI took up too much space. Would exporting the final AVI back to DV Tape be a more cost-effective (albeit time-consuming) way of backing up?

[RJ]

Shouldn't an expensive piece of software like that handle whatever is thrown at it?

Well. . yeah. . but in the real world there's sometimes a big difference betwenn what should be, and what really is. Premiere is a very good program for editing DV, but not as good for the other formats.
Same with Encore. It's pricey, but can't handle 352x480 or 352x240, even though they are defined in the DVD-Video standard and many if not all cheap authoring programs can handle them . . .

So VOBEdit is the way to go to pull MPEG and AC3 from the VOBs, and then I just have to hope Premiere Pro accepts them, I guess.

Ya. And if not, you need to multiplex them. Most programs want elementary streams but I don't know about Premiere.

Will I need to convert the audio for Premiere to recognize it, too?

I don't know (never used Premiere with MPEGs). But you shouldn't. Avoid any unnecessary conversions.

Basically, I messed up by storing everything in the DVD format, then.

Well, depends on what you wanna do. For simple cutting it's no problem. But if you wanna do sth. more advanced, then yes, the MPEG format is not the best for it. DVD is good for the final product.

Even just keeping the final cut converted to an AVI took up too much space. Would exporting the final AVI back to DV Tape be a more cost-effective (albeit time-consuming) way of backing up?

It'd be a very good way to back them up, as they'll remain DV, without any conversion. Just keep in mind that it's tape and you should store them appropratiely (like not expose them heat, magnetism etc.).

RJ

[Kov-Ice]

Hey RJ. Is multiplexing the audio and video the Remux m2v command in VOBEdit? Will doing all this create synch problems?

Basically, I was cataloguing the finished products I had made in case someone ever wanted another copy of the movie. I just ran into a case where I wanted to use some clips from a previously made highlight film and incorporate them in a new one. So I guess this will work out fine now and in the future. Still, I probably should also output to DV tape from now on so that I have the uncompressed AVI as well.

Sidenote: Where in Germany is Offenbach/Main? My wife and I will be following the US Team around during the World Cup this summer. We'll be in Gelsenkirchen, Kaiserslautern, and Nuremberg.

[RJ]

Is multiplexing the audio and video the Remux m2v command in VOBEdit? Will doing all this create synch problems?

Never used VOBEdit much besides for demultiplexing, so I'm sorry I don't know. Proper muxing doesn't create synch problems.

Basically, I was cataloguing the finished products I had made in case someone ever wanted another copy of the movie. I just ran into a case where I wanted to use some clips from a previously made highlight film and incorporate them in a new one. So I guess this will work out fine now and in the future.

I see. Well, you can do that just fine. All you need is demuxing the part you want from the old DVD and put it in the new DVD.

Still, I probably should also output to DV tape from now on so that I have the uncompressed AVI as well.

It's not uncompressed, but the DV compression works in a different way. If you'd ever want to use some footage again and insert transitions, etc., then you can do that better with the DV rather than with the MPEG.
But for simple cutting, MPEG-2 will be ok. Though you should know, sometimes, when you cut an MPEG, you have to re-encode a few frames.

If possible, play the AVI back to tape for storage. That way you can always use it if you need it. MPEG is a lossy codec, and once the video is in MPEG, you can never convert it back to the DV AVI it once was.

Sidenote: Where in Germany is Offenbach/Main? My wife and I will be following the US Team around during the World Cup this summer. We'll be in Gelsenkirchen, Kaiserslautern, and Nuremberg.

Kaiserslautern is an hour with the car to the south. I've often been to Mannheim, which is pretty close to Kaiserslautern.
Nürnberg is to the east and a little bit to the south. It's twice as far as Kaiserslautern from Offenbach.
Gelsenkirchen is to the north west. I need 3 hours with the car to Düsseldorf, so I'd say Gelsenkirchen is about 3:20 h.

RJ